Over the decades, the Boys Scouts of America has been a leader in developing training and policies designed to keep young people safe. Over time, these policies have become standard with organizations across the nation. Now the Boys Scouts of America is releasing fully updated training to further strengthen our ability to protect youth.

These changes include:

Updated Youth Protection Training, including insights from experts and survivors and the latest strategies for recognizing and prevent major forms of abuse. This is the designated Youth Protection Training for all adults. All volunteers must take the new training by October 1, 2018, no matter when they took the previous training.

On October 2, 2018 the training database will be "purged" and anyone with a training date before March 1st will be shown as "non-Trained". The exception is those that took the online modules in February and they can be spotted in the system because they have the three module completions and the test completion.

Unlimited counseling and support for healing to anyone who has ever been abused in Scouting.

Youth Protection Training for youth members available in 2019.

In addition to updated training, we recently announced new policies to ensure compliance with mandatory training requirements, including:

As of January 1, 2018, no new leader can be registered without first completing youth protection training.

As of January 1, 2018, no council, regional, or national leader will be allowed to renew their registration if they are not current on their Youth Protection Training.

As of September 1, 2018, no unit may re-charter without all leaders being current on their Youth Protection Training. Registrars no longer have the ability to approve charters without full compliance.

Effective June 1, 2018, adults accompanying a Scouting unit who are present at the activity for 72 total hours or more must be registered as a leader, including completion of a criminal background check and Youth Protection Training. The 72 hours need not be consecutive.

With these changes, and many more outlined in the documents listed below, as well as the overview video, we will continue to build a safe environment for our youth.

We realize the October 1, 2018 training deadline will be a challenge for some - but the safety of our children is too important to delay.